In order for African Americans to build a community in Southwest Florida they had to overcome slavery, segregation and prejudice. Because of local heroes in the early years, doors were opened for local African Americans to flourish. Now, a special group of people have untold stories to tell about endurance, motivation, determination and inspiration to teach us what life was like before the time of integration. The sunshine state has a rich and colorful history. For hundreds of years the state has attracted dreamers, opportunists, inventors and fortune-seekers. WGCU's Untold Stories aims to preserve the history of Southwest Florida communities. Originally Aired: 02/27/2004 Follow us! Facebook: http://facebook.com/wgcupublicmedia Twitter: https://twitter.com/wgcu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wgcupublicmedia WGCU PBS & NPR for Southwest Florida African Americans in Southwest Florida 1800 - 1960 | Untold Stories | Black History Month #UntoldStories #WGCU #BlackHistoryMonth